Fluid storage for fuel cell vehicles using closed section structural body rails
The present invention is directed to a frame assembly for motor vehicle in which one of the frame elements utilized as a fluid storage volume. An elongated rail portion of the frame assembly defines a closed section which is utilized as a fuel storage volume for an operational fluid of the vehicle. In particular, the present invention is contemplated for use with a fuel cell based in which a fluid storage volume may be used for storing hydrogen, compressed air, water or alternately a cooling fluid. Furthermore, the elongated rail may be provided with various design features for storing a diverse operational fluid as well as adapt the elongated rail for conventional uses as an attachment point for various vehicle components or the routing of wire harnesses and fuel or brake lines.
The present is directed to a frame assembly for a motor vehicle, and more particularly to an elongated rail within the frame assembly which is adapted to provide a fluid storage volume therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSignificant efforts are being made to commercialize a hydrogen powered motor vehicle employing a fuel cell as the principle component of the power plant for the vehicle. This technology has significantly different design constraints from those encountered by vehicle designers of conventional internal combustion engines. One such parameter relates to the packaging of the various components within a fuel cell based vehicle. In this regard, a power train component of a fuel cell based vehicle may be generally more distributed about the frame assembly as compared with conventional internal combustion designs. Thus, a fuel cell based vehicle lends itself to a modular packaging concept over conventional vehicle designs. However, the number and mass of the components associated with a fuel cell based vehicle present new design challenges to the vehicle engineer.
One such challenge lies in providing an adequate source of the operational fluids for the fuel cell based power plant to achieve a suitable driving range for such a vehicle. Such operational fluids include the hydrogen-containing fuel and oxidant or air utilized as feed streams to the fuel cell stack for generation of electric energy. In addition, the operational fluid may include a cooling fluid to be circulated through the various components of the power plant to maintain the proper operational temperature thereof. Likewise, for vehicles which employ an on-board hydrogen reforming system, the operational fluids may further include a hydrocarbon-based fuel and a water utilized in the reforming process. An adequate source of each of these operational fluids must be provided on the vehicle to achieve the desired driving range.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to provide an adequate fluid storage volume on board the motor vehicle while minimizing the packaging volume and additional mass associated with such storage volumes. As such, a fluid storage system which employs existing structure would provide such an improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a motor vehicle of the type having a frame assembly in which one of the frame elements are utilized as a fluid storage volume. More particularly, an elongated rail portion of the frame assembly having a closed section is utilized as a fluid storage volume for an operational fluid of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the fluid storage volume is a pressurized volume utilized for hydrogen storage to provide a source of hydrogen-containing fuel for a fuel cell based power plant. In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a fluid storage volume for providing a source of compressed air to the fuel cell based power plant. In yet another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a fluid storage volume for providing a source of cooling fluid to the vehicle's power plant. In still another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a fluid storage volume for providing a source of water or steam for the vehicle's power plant.
Further aspects of the present invention are directed to the particular structural features of the elongated rail. More specifically, the internal volume of the elongated rail may be sectioned into discrete chambers for providing storage of diverse operational fluids. Alternately, the discrete chambers may be sealed from one another and utilized to provide an internal storage volume in addition to more conventional functions of the structural members such as providing a fastening surface for vehicle components and for routing support structure such as a wiring harness therethrough.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
With reference now to drawings, the present invention is directed to a motor vehicle generally indicated at reference number 10. The motor vehicle 10 has a frame assembly 12 which provides the primary support structure for the remaining components of the motor vehicle 10. A set of wheels 14 are rotatably supported from the frame assembly 12 in a conventional manner. A power train 16 is supported on the frame assembly 12 and is operably coupled to the wheels 14 through shaft 18. In this manner, power train 16 is operable to drive at least one of wheels 14.
In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
A second preferred embodiment of a motor vehicle 10′ is illustrated in
With reference to both
As previously discussed, the present invention provides an effective use of the enclosed volume defined within the frame rail components 32, 32′, 34, 34′ of frame assembly 12, 12′ to provide a fluid storage volume generally indicated at reference number 46, 46′ of the figures. In this regard, one or more of the elongated rails 32, 32′ and 34, 34′ may define a closed section for providing the fluid storage volume 46, 46′. A single elongated rail portions may be utilized to provide the fluid storage volume. Alternately, multiple elongated rail portions may be in fluid communication with one another such that the fluid storage volume is defined within multiple elongated rail portions.
With reference to
Turning now to
In one aspect of the present invention, the fluid storage volume 50 may be adaptable as a rechargeable device to store and discharge hydrogen. Specifically, hydrogen is stored in a solid form and supplied as a gas when needed. To this end, the storage volume 50 is provided with a matrix 54 that form numerous open cells which have a solid hydrogen storage medium disposed therein. A tube 56 located within the storage volume 50 allows the hydrogen gas to transfer to and from the storage volume 50. A conduit 58 is also disposed within the storage volume 50 and allows a heat transfer fluid in the form of water, air, another liquid or gas suitable for transferring heat to and from the storage volume 50 to circulate therethrough. In this manner, the elongated rail 32 functions effectively as a pressurized hydrogen fuel storage volume. As presently contemplated elongated rail 32 functions as a reserve or supplemental fuel storage volume which is substantially less than the volume of the fuel tanks 28—in the range of less than 25% the capacity of fuel tanks 28. Further details concerning the use of a solid hydrogen storage median within the storage volume 50 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,041, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
With reference now to
With reference now to
With reference now to
While the cross-sectional configurations shown in
The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. In a motor vehicle of the type having a frame assembly, a set of wheels rotatably supported on said frame assembly and a power train operable to drive at least one of said set of wheels, the improvement comprising a fluid storage volume defined in an elongated rail portion of the frame assembly, said fluid storage volume being in fluid communication with said power train to provide an operational fluid thereto, said operational fluid being selected from the group consisting of a fuel, an oxidant and a cooling fluid.
2. The motor vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a fuel tank supported on said frame assembly and in fluid communication with said power train to provide a primary source of said fuel thereto such that said fluid storage volume is a reserve fuel tank.
3. The motor vehicle of claim 2 wherein said fluid storage volume is substantially less than said fuel tank by volume.
4. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said operational fluid is compressed air.
5. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said operational fluid is coolant.
6. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said fluid storage volume has a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber in fluid communication with said power train to provide a first operational fluid thereto.
7. The motor vehicle of claim 6 wherein said second chamber is in fluid communication with said power train to provide a second operational fluid different from said first operational fluid.
8. The motor vehicle of claim 6 wherein said second chamber is a vacant chamber.
9. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said fluid storage volume has a liner formed therein to seal said fluid storage volume.
10. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said fluid storage volume is filled with a hydrogen storage media.
11. The motor vehicle of claim 1 where said at least one elongated rail portion comprises a longitudinal frame rail.
12. The motor vehicle of claim 1 where said at least one elongated rail portion comprises a cross frame rail.
13. The motor vehicle of claim 1 wherein said frame assembly comprises a plurality of elongated rail portions, said fluid storage volume being defined within at least two of said plurality of elongated rail portions.
14. A motor vehicle comprising:
- a frame assembly including at least one elongated rail;
- a power train supported on said frame assembly, said power train including a fuel cell operable to convert a hydrogen-containing fuel and an oxidant into electrical energy and a motor electrically connected to said fuel cell to convert said electrical energy into rotary movement of a shaft;
- a radiator supported on said frame assembly, said radiator in fluid communication with said power train such that a cooling fluid circulates therethrough;
- a set of wheels rotatably supported on said frame assembly, at least one of said set of wheels operably coupled to said shaft for driving said at least one of said set of wheels;
- a fuel tank supported on said frame assembly and in fluid communication with said fuel cell to provide a primary source of said hydrogen-containing fuel thereto;
- a fluid storage volume defined within said at least one elongated rail and in fluid communication with said power train to provide an operational fluid thereto, said operational fluid being selected from the group consisting of said hydrogen-containing fuel, said oxidant and said cooling fluid.
15. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said operational fluid is said hydrogen-containing fuel.
16. The motor vehicle of claim 15 wherein said fluid storage volume substantially less than said fuel tank by volume.
17. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said operational fluid is compressed air.
18. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said operational fluid is coolant.
19. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said fluid storage volume has a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber in fluid communication with said power train to provide a first operational fluid thereto.
20. The motor vehicle of claim 19 wherein said second chamber is in fluid communication with said power train to provide a second operational fluid different from said first operational fluid.
21. The motor vehicle of claim 19 wherein said second chamber is a vacant chamber.
22. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said fluid storage volume has a liner formed therein for sealing said fluid storage volume.
23. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said fluid storage volume is filled with a storage media.
24. The motor vehicle of claim 14 where said at least one elongated rail portion comprises a longitudinal frame rail.
25. The motor vehicle of claim 14 where said at least one elongated rail portion comprises a cross frame rail.
26. The motor vehicle of claim 14 wherein said frame assembly comprises a plurality of elongated rail portions, said fluid storage volume being defined within at least two of said plurality of elongated rail portions.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 28, 2004
Publication Date: Jul 28, 2005
Inventors: Gerald Elson (Rochester, MI), Christopher Williams (Grand Blanc, MI)
Application Number: 10/766,392